A 30-game starter in Miami, Robert Jones joined the Cowboys in free agency last year. But the former UDFA offensive lineman suffered a season-nullifying injury, hitting free agency on a low note a year later.
Two-plus weeks into this year’s FA period, Jones remains unsigned. But he is drawing interest. The 49ers met with the veteran guard Monday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
The 49ers have Dominick Puni penciled in as their right guard starter, and they signed veteran swingman Brett Toth as a potential LG option. As of now, Toth and part-time 2025 starter Connor Colby would battle for the 49ers’ starting LG position, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch writes. Jones’ visit shows the 49ers still likely have this position on their radar.
No relation to the former Cowboys linebacker of same name, this Robert Jones turned is going into an age-27 season after his lost year in Dallas. Jones suffered a broken bone in his neck in August and ended up on Dallas’ season-ending IR list. The Cowboys had signed him to a one-year, $3.75MM deal with $3MM guaranteed. While that move conceivably put Jones in position to be the Cowboys’ Zack Martin RG successor, the team drafted Tyler Booker 12th overall to pair with Tyler Smith.
Pro Football Focus graded Jones 41st and 35th among guards in 2022 and ’23, respectively, though the advanced metrics site viewed Jones’ 17-game starter season (2024) as less impressive (59th overall). Jones played left guard throughout the 2024 season in Miami, which did not see its Isaiah Wynn signings lead to much work. Jones logged more than 150 snaps at both LG and RG in 2023 and played 431 LG snaps in 2022.
Toth joined the 49ers on a one-year, $2.5MM deal, Wilson adds. The 49ers guaranteed the ex-Eagle $2.22MM at signing. Colby and Nick Zakelj, whom the team re-signed in February, are in place as guard options on a line that returns starters Puni, Jake Brendel, Colton McKivitz and, as of now, Trent Williams.
In other 49ers contract news, their deal with linebacker Luke Gifford is worth $5MM over two years, according to Wilson. Gifford secured $2MM fully guaranteed. Defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu joined the team on a one-year, $2.3MM accord that comes with $1.8MM guaranteed at signing, Wilson adds. Punter Corliss Waitman signed a one-year, $1.29MM deal that includes $475K fully guaranteed, Wilson tweets.